Vacationist Hotel Deals: Costa Rica, Mexico + St. Lucia

The January chill means we're craving a warm-weather winter getaway. A few ideas, courtesy of Vacationist: Costa Rica, where the temperatures hover around 90 degrees and the 10-room Rancho Pacifico, set on the southern Pacific Coast near Manuel Antonio, has an open-air spa to take in the rainforest views. In Ixtapa, Mexico, Las Brisas is set on a private beach for quiet relaxation, while the adults-only all-inclusive Rendezvous, on the northern coast of St. Lucia, offers activities from snorkeling to tennis and bike tours—and temperatures in the 80s.

Howler monkeys are your wake-up call at this certified "green," adults-only retreat on 250 acres of dense rainforest. An adventurous spirit is a prerequisite, but roughing it is not, with comforts like private plunge pools, an open-air spa, and organic four-course dinners at the resort's private dining room. Indulge in a body wrap of indigenous plants in the tranquil spa gardens, or venture on a private hike through the nearby rain forest and waterfalls at Marina Ballena National Park. As there are just 10 rooms overall (and a maximum of 24 guests at any given time) bonding with staff is in short order, sharing tips on bird watching, zip-line tours, and fishing expeditions. (Sale ends in 6 days.)

Built into a hillside on a private cove and refreshed to the tune of $20 million in 2007, this seaside oasis lies just south—and yet worlds apart—from Ixtapa's strip of high-rise hotels, but it's still just a 10-minute taxi ride from either the nightlife and restaurants of Ixtapa or old Zihuatanejo. All 416 of the modern rooms have terrace hammocks to enjoy the superlative views over the hotel's private beach, a gorgeous swath of white sand buffeted by frequently rough surf—the reason most guests confine their swimming to the four cascading pools. If Elvis and Elizabeth Taylor were still around, this is the Las Brisas you'd find them visiting today. (Sale ends in 5 days.)

Massages, showers, chaise lounges—everything short of the bicycles—are built for two at this couples-only resort. Whether they're shrouded in tropical gardens or facing the ocean on one of the island's rare white-sand beaches, all 100 rooms, suites, and gingerbread cottages have king-size beds but lack televisions (so as not to distract from, ahem, more amorous pursuits). Also absent is the "honeymooners-gone-wild" atmosphere that defines so many other Caribbean all-inclusives: the sound of waves outside your window is as noisy as it will get. Scuba diving and other water sports, two restaurants, and nightly entertainment are among the amenities. (Sale ends in 3 days.)

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Vacationist Hotel Deals: Costa Rica, Mexico + St. Lucia

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